DON'T BE DISCOURAGED, YOU ARE NOT FORSAKEN!

DON’T BE DISCOURAGED,

YOU ARE NOT FORSAKEN!

In the last few days many people have had their hopes dashed, all their dreams and plans for themselves and for their world came crashing down.  They wonder where God was in recent events.  Some wonder where God is in their lives and circumstances.  Many are facing homeless situations because of the hurricane and the oncoming winter storm.

God is still in control.  He is in Lord over the nations of the world, and He alone determines each nation’s destiny.  “Praise the name of God forever and ever; for he alone has all wisdom and power; he removes kings and sets others on the throne.  He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the scholars.  He reveals deep and mysterious things and knows what lies hidden in darkness, though he himself is surrounded by light” Daniel 2:21-22. (NLT)

Yes, He is in control of the events in our nation.  Oh, some may feel like the God of the universe is not listening or does not care, but He does.  This is the world He created, and nothing is not seen by Him.  And our God has a plan for our future, your future and the future of this world, and everything will move according to His divine plans.  And I am so glad that we serve the God of the Universe, the Creator, who sent His Son to die for this world, and who desires that all men come to know Him.

And He knows you, my friend, and He loves you no matter what the circumstances are in your life right now.  You may feel like you have no hope left, or that no one could possibly love you because of the things that you have done.  But we serve a mighty God!  And I want to tell you that He is concerned about every aspect of your life and all the hurts and struggles that you may be experiencing right now.

 

I want to show you in God’s Word just how much He does care.  The Bible is full of promises that show His love and care, but there is one particular scripture I want to share with you that has blessed my life and the life of others, and gives meaning to knowing just how much He loves you and me.  The following quotes are the words of Charles F. Spurgeon, written over a century ago, and still brings encouragement to our hearts today, as he shares this scripture from the book of Isaiah:

“Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands” Isaiah 49:16.

“Behold,” is a word intended to excite admiration.  Here indeed, we have a theme for marveling.  Heaven and earth may well be astonished that rebels should obtain so great a nearness to the heart of infinite love as to written upon the palms of His hands.

“I have graven thee.”  It does not say, “Thy name.”  The name is there, but that is not all:  “I have graven thee.”  See the fullness of this!  I have graven thy person, thine image, thy case, thy circumstances, thy sins, thy temptations, thy weaknesses, thy wants, thy works; I have graven thee, everything about thee, all that concerns thee; I have put thee altogether there.

Wilt thou every say again that thy God hath forsaken thee when He has graven thee upon His own palms?"

I think of those loving hands and His palms out stretched to you and to me.  And there you are graven.  He sees you there.  He sees the circumstances you are going through right now, and the hurts there.  He sees the sins there too, but we have the promise that with the blood of Jesus, those sins are washed away.  He sees all the temptations that come into your life, and your struggles over them.  He knows all the desires of your heart and knows when you are weak, but He desires to give you the strength you need to go on.  He knows everything about you, and He sees you right there on the palms of His mighty hands.  What a beautiful picture of the love He has for you!

“Oh, Lord you have searched me and known me.  You know my sitting down and my rising up; you understand my thought afar off.  You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways” Psalm 139:1-3.

He knows when you sit down and when you rise up, and He even knows your thoughts ahead of time.  He knows the path that you tread and has walked that path ahead of you, and promises to guide you even to death, and He will be there to walk with you into your eternal home.

“For this is God, our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even to death”  Psalm 48:14.

I was reminded again of the elderly man I was visiting sometime ago.  He has since gone on to be with Jesus.  I was showing Him this scripture to impress upon Him how much Jesus loves and cares for Him.  He began to look at his hands, at his palms.  Then he tried to comprehend what I was trying to tell him, and said, “But that is millions of people!”  I said, Oh, yes, but there you are right there, “graven upon the palms of His big hands.”  As I prepared to leave and say my goodbyes, he was still looking at his hands, amazed at how much God loved him.

So my dear, friends, how can you think that our God has forsaken you, when He looks at His hands and sees you there in your times of trial, your times of feeling forsaken and maybe you are lonely, in a place where you feel like even your family has forgotten you?  But He also sees you in times of happiness and joy in your life, and He smiles with you as He looks at you graven there in His palms.

So be encouraged today.  He knows your name, and He sees you right there on the palms of His mighty hands.  Oh, what a wonderful picture of our Loving Lord!  And His hands are outstretched to each one of you today.  If you don’t know this Wonderful Lord, He is reaching out to you, calling you to Himself.  Let your life be also be on “palms of His hands.”

In Jesus’ Name,

Pastor Sharon